The Last Magician

by Lisa Maxwell

Stop the Magician.Steal the book.Save the future.In modern day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.Esta is a talented thief, and she's been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta's training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.

The Last Magician Review

July 14, 2016

Lisa Maxwell

You guys. This book has been such a labor of love. History. Magic. Cute boys in suspenders. It's like magical newsies without the singing or gangs of New York with magic. There is time travel, a badass girl thief, secret societies, a diverse cast, and so much more. I have loved writing these characters and this world and I hope you all love it too!!

This twisty tale of alchemy and magic in Gilded Age New York will keep you guessing until the very last page.

February 2, 2017

Wendy Higgins

So, so gorgeous. All consuming. I cannot wait for the 2nd part of this duology!!

August 9, 2016

Jacqueline

*grabby hands*

July 15, 2016

Alyssa

WANT WANT WANT WANT WANT.

February 14, 2017

Sara (sarabara081)

You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.I am wavering between 4 and 4.5 stars. How about 4.25?The Last Magician – one of my most anticipated releases for 2017. Magic, time travel, and historical fiction all rolled into one book was sure to be an epic reading experience for me. And it was!The story jumps around a bit in the beginning to different time periods to set the stage. We start off in New York at the turn of the twentieth century and discover firsthand the devastating conseque You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.I am wavering between 4 and 4.5 stars. How about 4.25?The Last Magician – one of my most anticipated releases for 2017. Magic, time travel, and historical fiction all rolled into one book was sure to be an epic reading experience for me. And it was!The story jumps around a bit in the beginning to different time periods to set the stage. We start off in New York at the turn of the twentieth century and discover firsthand the devastating consequences of being trapped inside of Manhattan by an invisible force, the Brink, that strips any Mageus of their magic and most likely their life if they go near the border to leave the city. Our introduction to the main character, Esta, shows us her magical affinity to travel through time, a skill she uses to hunt down magical objects her mentor in modern day New York believes can be used to free them from the Brink. The most important artifact of all is a book, the Ars Arcana. And Esta must travel back to 1901 to steal it before someone called the Magician steals it himself.I loved the 1901 setting as well as the characters we are introduced to, and luckily we spend the majority of the novel here. It’s a very dangerous world with creepy gangs and the Order, a society determined to destroy and control those with magic, around every corner. Yet Esta fit in remarkable well, using her thieving skills to her advantage to get in with the right people when she hit a snag with such an extreme jump in time leaving her temporarily stuck and more determined than ever to complete her mission. Esta was extremely independent and very good at getting herself out of precarious situations all on her own. I loved that about her. Especially when she would prove to the boys that she wasn’t a damsel in distress needing to be rescued and was fully capable of doing her own rescuing. Then there was Viola and her badass and deadly ways with a knife, Jianyu who was quiet and sneaky but always there when you needed someone, and Harte Darrigan our mysterious Magician are just a few additional characters we meet and even though I was unsure who to trust at times, I still felt a connection to each of them and grew attached as Esta did. Harte Darrigan especially. Because much of the story is not knowing who to trust, he remains a bit of a mystery for much of the book. But there was this unresolved attraction between Esta and Darrigan that hinted towards a romance that could only end in disaster.The past and the modern day times are connected in ways I could not have predicted and some ways I could. I loved every direction the story took and all the surprises thrown in. This book is on the long side, around 500 pages, and with so much magical background to get through and details to explain (I think I got the gist of most of it but a few details went over my head), the story did feel a little slow at times for someone like me who is a slow reader. I don’t think that will be the case for everyone, however. I was so engrossed the farther I went that as I saw the pages I had left dwindling down, I did not want it to end. And though we get a somewhat conclusion to some of the storyline, it is only the beginning with so much left to explore and wrap up. The author did a remarkable job setting up such a fascinating world that touches upon an array of genre that I adore. I am thoroughly looking forward to returning for the sequel and where it can possibly take us!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it. The Last Magician is the second book from Lisa Maxwell I've read and she has once again outdone herself. From the very beginning, I could tell this was gonna be a great read. Her writing style just keeps getting better and better and that definitely paid off. This is definitely a formidable YA Fantasy duology. From the amazing characters to the action, the magic, th Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.
The Last Magician is the second book from Lisa Maxwell I've read and she has once again outdone herself. From the very beginning, I could tell this was gonna be a great read. Her writing style just keeps getting better and better and that definitely paid off. This is definitely a formidable YA Fantasy duology. From the amazing characters to the action, the magic, the worldbuilding, the descriptions, and just about everything else in The Last Magician is tremendously well portrayed. Esta is an amazing character who is a talented thief and a Mageus(People who can use magic) who can also manipulate time. She is complicated, intriguing and quite interesting, This makes her a character that is very captivating to read about. Harte and Dolph, the other main characters is another factor that I love about this book. Harte and Esta have a hot and intense chemistry, I love the scenes between them. I can feel the intrigue. Esta's trials in maneuvering the past and try to keep everything together while working towards her goals is one thing I find very interesting. The dual timelines made it have an interesting conclusion. This book is extremely addicting, the mysteries and puzzles is enough to keep you up at night until you've read the whole book and figured everything out. The many POV's made it an even more interesting and encompassing read. I am glad it's kind of long because it gave me the chance to fully savor the world. The Last Magician has so many deliciously wicked twists and turns that left me gasping in shock. Lisa Maxwell certainly knows how to build tension up and flawlessly deliver. The parts leading up to the ending were beautifully written and smartly crafted and the ending itself is an explosive event full of revelations I certainly never saw coming. This has got to be one of the most well written books I have read and words aren't enough to explain just how good it is and how much you NEED to get it. But I can 100% assure this book is unlike any you've ever read. I can't wait for the captivating conclusion to this epic series. Full of action, magic, romance, mystery, tension, time travel and badass characters, The Last Magician is one book every YA reader must have. P.S: You will not put this down,I mean it.

So you're probably wondering if the story lives up to the awesome cover. Short answer: YES!!!!!!!!!Okay so this book has a lot to love, but my favorite thing has got to be the world Maxwell has created. Yeah, it's historical, but it's also magical. And the fantasy and the history just blend perfectly. It has a real Gangs of New York vibe. And I have a super duper soft spot for so many of the characters. Like epic level feels for Esta and Harte, but also Dolph and Viola. I loved spending time in So you're probably wondering if the story lives up to the awesome cover. Short answer: YES!!!!!!!!!Okay so this book has a lot to love, but my favorite thing has got to be the world Maxwell has created. Yeah, it's historical, but it's also magical. And the fantasy and the history just blend perfectly. It has a real Gangs of New York vibe. And I have a super duper soft spot for so many of the characters. Like epic level feels for Esta and Harte, but also Dolph and Viola. I loved spending time in this version of New York, and I can't wait for part 2.

Stop the Magician. Steal the book. Save the future.Speed up the publishing. Buy the book. Save my life.

December 31, 2016

Anni K. Mars

Ich vermisse die Charaktere jetzt schon <3

July 18, 2016

Jessi (Novel Heartbeat)

LOOK AT THAT COVER. *heart eyes and grabby hands*

March 18, 2017

Alex

Esta, a street kid adopted by a kindly professor, has spent her life training to become a thief. She has a natural talent for stealing things, and she also has a magical ability to slow down time so she never gets caught. The professor has given her a difficult task, stealing the guide to all magic, except she has to time travel back to the early 1900s to get the book. The stone she uses to time breaks upon arrival, and she must depend on an unruly street gang to help. Lots of fun twists and tur Esta, a street kid adopted by a kindly professor, has spent her life training to become a thief. She has a natural talent for stealing things, and she also has a magical ability to slow down time so she never gets caught. The professor has given her a difficult task, stealing the guide to all magic, except she has to time travel back to the early 1900s to get the book. The stone she uses to time breaks upon arrival, and she must depend on an unruly street gang to help. Lots of fun twists and turns, and usually time travel is frustrating but the majority of the book takes place in time and New York City is a fun character to play with.

April?? Darn it! I'm hosting my book club in February! I guess we'll have to wait... Love the cover, it reminds me of the Auryn from the Neverending Story :-)

July 29, 2016

Kristen Lippert-Martin

I read it. You should too. It's gorgeous!

March 6, 2017

Em and Rosi (Bibliobibuli YA)

The Last Magician is a wonderfully well done and rich read. The research that went into the book is evident, the creativity almost tangible. The historically accurate past and Lisa’s new history are sewn together well and the seams are hardly noticeable. The magical history created for the novel is easily recognizable, with many parallels that can be drawn with our own reality, and not far fetched, the causes and effects of historic events in the story’s reality are plausible and far reaching, a The Last Magician is a wonderfully well done and rich read. The research that went into the book is evident, the creativity almost tangible. The historically accurate past and Lisa’s new history are sewn together well and the seams are hardly noticeable. The magical history created for the novel is easily recognizable, with many parallels that can be drawn with our own reality, and not far fetched, the causes and effects of historic events in the story’s reality are plausible and far reaching, at once building the credibility of this world and enriching it beyond the scope of the narrative.Even though the book starts by going back and forth between the present and the past, this is very much historical fiction with a dash of time travel. These two times are more connect than you would expect, but the focus of the story is set in the turn of the century version of this New York City. And I can’t complain. This is a richly rendered 1900’s New York, from the dance halls to the Bella Strega to Broadway, and is diversely cast and attentive to the social tensions of the time. Not only is the taboo-ness of a lesbian relationship touched on, but so are the tensions felt by the Asian immigrants through Jianyu’s point of view, and the disparity between gender roles. It is noted how ingrained these prejudices were, how speaking against them was beyond odd, and even those who you would think would be progressive still had them, notably Jianyu who works with women and relies on them as part of his livelihood and Harte as the love interest.Lisa weaves a spectacular mystery of complex double crosses and personal relationships mixed with magic. The rules of the magic of this universe are clearly laid out, even if the Ortus Aurea refuses to acknowledge them, and the powers of the characters were easy to understand and explain. Enough so that you could enjoy being carried away in how these characters used their powers and the extent of them rather than trying to make sense of them. These characters are all brilliantly done, none are interchangeable or vague, and when it comes to Dolph and his crew, each gets a chance for their story to be told. Some just have more of an impact than others. As for romance? The relationship between Harte and Esta is hilarious, a game of playing off each other and double crosses and knowing that they can’t trust the other but being attracted to them anyway. I can’t wait to see more of these two in the sequel. And the villains? They come in multiple different forms. The Order is the main and obvious threat, but there are others in its shadow who are just powerful. From within the order there is the shamed Jack, JP Morgan’s nephew, who is building a devastating machine, a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Bella Strega is Kelly, the leader of a rival gang trying to use the current situation to his own gain, followed by more manipulative characters that take surprising, and not so surprising, forms.The Last Magician is a spectacular read, highly original with twists that are utterly fantastic. And because it's such a gloriously long book, by the time everything is in the air, you have plenty of page time to enjoy while it eloquently hits the fan in an epic finale that will leave you desperate for the sequel.

Review to follow, but for now, let me put it this way: YOU NEED THIS BOOK. It is pure magic.

March 10, 2017

Jan farnworth

I got a copy of this wonderful book through Around The World arc tours This book sits at just over 500 pages which gives the author plenty of room to set the stage for the events that are waiting to unfold in the pages of this book. The start of the book we jump around between the past and the present in order to lay the ground work for how the two will combine in the later parts of the book. The story centers around the determined talented thief Esta who has the unique aspect to be able to stea I got a copy of this wonderful book through Around The World arc tours This book sits at just over 500 pages which gives the author plenty of room to set the stage for the events that are waiting to unfold in the pages of this book. The start of the book we jump around between the past and the present in order to lay the ground work for how the two will combine in the later parts of the book. The story centers around the determined talented thief Esta who has the unique aspect to be able to steal anything in what appears to be the blink of the eye. I really loved how the author enveloped us in the magical aspects of this world steeped in magic. This is the second book i read from this author the other was Hooked. She is very good at describing the scence and when a death occurs your heart is ripped out just like it should be. This story had me wrapped up in it and did not want to it to end. I like how though their no mention of a sequel on goodreads yet you know their has to be more story to tell and i am very much looking forward to what is going to happen.

YA fantasy author Lisa Maxwell sweeps us up in a tale that transcends time, centered around the streets of New York City, with gangs and magicians.‘The Last Magician’ is a wonderful blend of magic and time travel. In a city torn apart by those who do not possess an affinity for magic - but seek to control those who do – a magical barrier was created long ago, to trap magicians. In modern day New York City, magic has nearly died out completely. Our main character, Esta, has trained as a thief her YA fantasy author Lisa Maxwell sweeps us up in a tale that transcends time, centered around the streets of New York City, with gangs and magicians.‘The Last Magician’ is a wonderful blend of magic and time travel. In a city torn apart by those who do not possess an affinity for magic - but seek to control those who do – a magical barrier was created long ago, to trap magicians. In modern day New York City, magic has nearly died out completely. Our main character, Esta, has trained as a thief her entire life. She is able to use her magical affinity to control time, and with the aid of a gem that enhances her affinity, she can also travel through time. Her teacher and father-figure lays out a course of robberies for her over the years, to accumulate various magical artifacts, in pursuit of an endeavor to change the past and create a more secure future for those with magic.We first meet Esta in the middle of an exciting heist in 1926. Soon she is sent back from present day NYC to 1901 in order to stop the Magician from stealing the Book. The very same Book she is tasked with bringing into present day in order to change things. However, the gem used to enhance Esta’s affinity cannot exist in two places at the same time, and since it already exists in New York City in the 1901 Esta jumped into, her gem disappears upon arrival. Much of Maxwell’s book consists of following Esta for weeks in 1901, navigating among the mageus of the time, and their gangs.The story is told through several perspectives; through Esta’s, through the Last Magician’s, and a few others. Transitions are easy to follow, and different points of view during a single heist is sometimes appreciated.What I enjoyed most about ‘The Last Magician’ was the world building, the magic affinities, and the relationships between the mageus in 1901. I look forward to reading what happens next!I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.‘The Last Magician’ will be available in July 18, 2017!